The Story of My Parents
by Data Girl 3
Summary: Rodolfo and Zack are starting sixth grade, where they are given an assignment to create a family tree. As a result, Rodolfo ends up learning all about his parents, even the parts his Uncle Mark and Aunt Emily tried to keep from him.
1. Another Year

**AN: **Hello to all. I know it'll be to bold to assume people are thrilled I've returned, so I won't even ask. (Lol).  
So, anyway, I received such good reviews for the conclusion of the Emily Story Arc, I thought I'd give it a go with an all new saga, thanks to a new wave of ideas. It'll be filled with new faces, new experiences, and new drama.  
This new story arc takes place in the present day, ten years after the final chapter of Sunsets and Sunrises, and revolves around the Boho kids: Twenty-three-year-old Penny, thirteen-year-old Rodolfo, twelve-year-old Zack, and nine-year old Lucia. (Don't worry; the older Bohemians will make a number of appearances as well.) I can also promise new additions to the Bohemian family within this story arc, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed creating them. And with that, I introduce to you all, the beginning of my newest RENT saga: the Boho Kids Story Arc. (Not an original name, but I couldn't think of a better one)

* * *

The morning sun shone through the window of the Condo. In the kitchenette, Emily Cohen was dividing oatmeal into separate bowls and arranging them on the old metal table. For a brief minute, she paused to run a hand over the smooth surface, smiling in remembrance. After her small moment, she crossed the room to a door, leading into a bedroom where two loft beds were positioned at opposite ends of the room.

"Okay, boys!" Emily announced, loud enough to wake the sleeping pair. "Breakfast is on the table. Time to wake up and get ready. You start sixth grade today." Groaning slightly, one of the boys sat up, rubbing his eyes and reaching for a pair of glasses that were balanced on the bed's railing.

"Aw, Mom," Zack moaned. "I was in the middle of a dream."

"Sorry, Zack," Emily grinned at her son, who'd inherited her frizzy mousy-brown hair and Mark's blue eyes. "Maybe you'll be able to have the same dream next time you sleep."

As Zack climbed down the ladder to make his way to the kitchen, Emily turned her attention to the second bed, and the boy who hadn't paid heed to her call to breakfast.

"All right, Rodolfo," Emily ordered. "You heard me. It's time to join the living." When no answer or acknowledgement of any kind came, Emily stepped over and pulled the covers away from the pillow. Instead of seeing Rodolfo's face, she found a pair of bare feet. "Oh, Rodolfo," Emily groaned, going to pull the covers off the foot of the bed. However, her action was met with resistance, as the lethargic boy was holding the blankets firmly over his head, refusing to let her pull them off. "Rodolfo, enough of this. You're going to be late for your first day."

"Don't wanna go!" Emily grunted at the muffled reply. "And don't call me Rodolfo. I like Dolf."

"All right, Dolf. Now, please get out of bed. Don't make me pull out the big guns."

"Go away," Rodolfo whined, snuggling deeper under the covers.

"All right. You asked for it." Emily returned to the pillow, where Rodolfo's feet were still sticking out. Taking one foot firmly in her hand, she started to tickle the arch. Instantly, Rodolfo let out a sudden squeal and sat up, shooting Emily an irritated glare, his chocolate brown eyes filled with annoyance. "That's better." Emily smiled cheerfully. "Now please join your cousin at the table before your oatmeal gets cold."

"Fine," Rodolfo sulked, stomping out of the room, his dirty blonde hair sticking up every which way. Emily watched him exit with a reminiscent look on her face.

"Rodolfo," she sighed. "You get more like your father every day."

* * *

Some time later, Emily was at the table with Rodolfo and Zack. As they ate, a young woman around the age of twenty three came down the stairs in the living room area.

"Morning, Mom," the girl greeted, running a comb through her long strawberry blonde hair.

"Good morning, Penny," Emily returned the greeting. "Heading out now?"

"Of course," Penny confirmed. "You know I'm supposed to be on time for my training." A small smile appeared on Emily's face as she remembered a night four years ago.

**Flashback**

Maureen launched herself at Penny, hugging the young woman tightly as the drama queen entered the Condo with Joanne.

"Happy birthday, sweetie!" she exclaimed as Penny returned the hug. "How does it feel, reaching the big One-Nine?"

"Aw, come on, Auntie Maureen," Penny laughed, turning to hug Joanne in greeting. "You know no one feels any different on their birthdays. And this isn't even one of the milestone birthdays."

"She's right," Joanne agreed. "The closest milestone birthday was last year."

"Don't be so dull!" Maureen persisted. "Our Penny's another year older. And she'll be out of high school very soon. _ And_ she'll be allowed to drink…"

"In another two years." Emily cut in from the other side of the room, where she'd been snuggled up to Mark on the couch, while the boys were trying to construct a Marble Express tower and little Lucia was playing with the old stuffed rabbit, Mr. Twiggers. "Penny's not of age yet."

"Well, it never stopped Mi…" Maureen trailed off at the memory of their vibrant friend.

"Hey, no tears," Mark scolded. "It's Penny's birthday. Besides, I think it's safe to say _she_ wouldn't approve of us being sad today."

"You're right," Maureen agreed, wiping her eyes.

"So, Penny," Joanne began. "Have you given any thought to what you want to do after you finish high school in a few months? You planned on going to college, if I remember correctly."

"Yeah, that was the plan."

"Oh! Where are you going?" Maureen asked.

"Emily and I've been wondering that, too, Penny," Mark spoke up. "We know you sent in some applications, but you never specified where." Penny glanced at her parents before replying.

"I applied to the Bellevue School of Nursing." Penny announced. "I want to be a nurse."

"Really?" Joanne looked surprised.

"Yeah. I've been talking to Dr. Jordan about it, and he said it was a good school. And it's very close to the old neighborhood in Alphabet City."

"Sweetie, it's not that I don't think you'll do well," Emily said. "But becoming a nurse is hard work. You'll have to take very advanced courses, and there are rigorous exams."

"I agree with your mother. Are you sure you want to study in that field?" Mark added.

"It seemed like the right path for me," Penny explained softly. "I… I haven't forgotten about… about Uncle Collins, and Uncle Roger, or Aunt Mimi. And I'll always remember the friends I had when Mom and I lived in the Center. I've seen people with health conditions and disorders from the moment I was born. It just seems wrong to not try to become a nurse, so I'd be able to help people with health conditions and disorders."

"So, you're really sure about this?" Mark asked.

"I am," Penny insisted.

"Well, Penny," Emily replied seriously. "If it's important to you, then we'll support you in this." Penny's face broke into an instant smile and hugged her parents in delight.

**End Flashback**

"Don't forget, Penny," Emily reminded as Penny packed up her things, getting ready to head down to the hospital where she worked as a student nurse under direct supervision of Dr. Jordan. "You have to pick up Lucia after school today."

"Don't worry. I never forget my sister," Penny assured. "See you later. Oh! Have fun at school, Zack, Rodolfo."

"I like Dolf!" Rodolfo called as Penny closed the door. Seconds after Penny had left, Mark dashed out of the bedroom, in the process of tossing his trademark scarf around his neck and shoving the matching beret on his head.

"Sorry, Emily, honey. Can't stay for breakfast!" he announced, heading strait for the door, swinging his old blue bike onto his shoulder as he went. "I got a full schedule today, so I'll have to grab something on the way. Have a good day. I'll see you at dinner. I love you." With that, Mark had disappeared out the door. Emily sighed and got up from the table, shaking her head. Without a word, she proceeded to the ancient couch, where Mark's messenger bag was sitting. As Rodolfo and Zack watched with amused grins, Emily carried the messenger bag to the door and stopped within inches of it, holding the bag out expectantly. Sure enough, the door reopened seconds later, and a sheepish looking Mark took the bag from her.

"Thanks," he blushed in embarrassment.

"Don't mention it," Emily replied. The nonjudgmental reply forced Mark to smile. Emily never told him off for forgetting things, and never used lines that began with 'you'd forget your own head'. Instead, she put her energy in keeping his fat out of the fryer and bailing him out if he got into a bad situation. On one occasion, he had left for work with his mind focused on his latest project, and forgot some important rolls of film that his boss at Redefining Pictures wanted to review. Emily had shown up at work with seconds to spare, the film rolls in tow. When Mark had asked how she'd gotten clean across town when her van was in the shop and the taxi drivers were on strike, she'd replied with the vague explanation of 'tour bus, subway, bikers, pedal-cab.'

"Okay then," Mark chuckled, kissing Emily's cheek. "I'll see you tonight."

"And now for you two," Emily turned to the boys. "Finish your breakfast and then get a move on. First days of school are important, and I don't want to leave you here when I take Lucia to her school on my way to work."

"Mom, it's not like you'll get fired for being late," Zack pointed out. "You're your own boss." When the boys had been five and four respectively, Emily had resigned from her old position at the_ Village Voice _and had gone into business for herself, establishing a small photography studio using some of the money Nana had left her when the elderly woman had succumbed to old age.

"Don't be cheeky, Zack," Emily pretended to scold. "Paying customers expect the studio to open on time each day." Once Zack and Rodolfo had finished the oatmeal and the dirty bowls had been stored in the sink, Emily handed them their backpacks.

"Why do we have to go today?" Rodolfo wondered out loud. "They never do anything on the first day."

"Because administrators look at things like attendance when people apply to college." Emily explained.

"Well, why do I have to go to college?" Rodolfo persisted, refusing to give in. "You never did."

"That was different. Now, your lunch." Emily took two paper bags from the counter, one marked with a 'Z', the other with an 'R'. "Now, that was turkey on wheat for Rodo… sorry, Dolf, and pastrami on caraway for Zack."

"Mom, can't you make me something like _ham _sometime?" Zack questioned, making a face. "The other kids tease me for never having normal sandwich meat."

"I'm sorry, Zack. But if you want to blame anyone, blame your Great Aunt Isabel. She refused to approve of your father and me when we got married because of our different cultures. The only way I was able to get her to support our marriage was to promise that any child we had together would be raised under the Jewish faith. As for those other kids, just remember that any kid who makes fun of you is a poor despondent child who'll wind up working for minimum wage all their lives. Now you both have a good day. Oh, and for the record, you two: this year, we don't want letters or calls from the school principal saying you've… broken into the office to storm the PTA and campaign for name brand pizza in the cafeteria. Understand?"

"Yeah, Mom."

"Whatever you say, Aunt Emily." With that, the boys were out the door. However, in doing so, they missed the proud smile on Emily's face as she glanced upwards.

"I swear, Collins," she grinned. "If you were around to team up with those boys, I think I'd actually be afraid of what you three would accomplish." The smile never leaving her face, Emily went up the stairs to wake up Lucia.


	2. A New Friend

Dr. Jordan entered the examination room where a young man in his mid-twenties with auburn hair and golden brown eyes was waiting with a three-year-old boy.

"Good afternoon, Mr.…." Dr. Jordan checked his paperwork. "Mr. Parson. What brings you here?"

"It's my… my little brother, Samuel," Mr. Parson gestured to the three-year-old. "He stepped on a rusty nail." Dr. Jordan took the foot in question and examined the wound. As he made some notes on his clipboard, Dr. Jordan looked up as he noticed the familiar strawberry blonde haired woman walk by the room.

"Oh, Miss Cohen!" Dr. Jordan called. After a split second pause, Penny reappeared in the doorway. "Would you prepare a tetanus shot for this young man's brother, please?"

"Right away," Penny obediently went off.

"No!" The three-year-old whined once Penny had returned with the hypodermic needle. "No shot!"

"Sammy, please," Mr. Parson begged, his face filled with concern for the boy. "You need the shot."

"No, no, no!" Penny paused for a moment, a gentle smile on her face, before taking a seat next to the boy.

"Hello, there," Penny grinned at the boy. "Your name's Sammy?"

"Yes," Sammy sniffed, visibly fearful of the shot.

"Nice to meet you, Sammy. My name's Penny," Penny continued, the smile never leaving her face. "I knew _another _little boy called Sammy once. He was a good friend, but he couldn't speak. He had to use a whistle to talk.

"So, Sammy, how old are you?"

"Three."

"Wow. You're practically all grown up. What's your favorite food, Sammy?"

"Macaroni."

"Do you like ice cream?"

"Yeah."

"What's your favorite flavor?"

"Peanut butter."

"With rainbow sprinkles?"

"Yeah!"

"Well, you'll have to ask your big brother here to get you a peanut butter cone with sprinkles as a reward for being so brave, because you're done. See?" Penny patted Sammy's arm, which now sported a band-aid with Tonka trucks on it.

"That's amazing," Mr. Parson gazed in wonder. "That's the first time anyone's gotten him calm when getting a shot."

"Naturally," Dr. Jordan beamed at Penny. "Miss Cohen's one of the best student nurses we've ever trained. All the patients who are treated by her adore her, especially the children." Once Doctor Jordan had left to file some paperwork, Mr. Parson continued to talk with Penny.

"So, what day did they cover handling kids so well in nursing school?"

"Oh, that comes naturally," Penny explained, gently ruffling Sammy's hair. "I have a little brother, too, after all. I remember when he was this age."

"You have a little brother?"

"Yes. He's starting sixth grade today with our cousin who lives with us. We also have a nine-year-old sister."

"Wow. So, that's two sixth grade boys and a third grade girl? Sounds like a full house. Your parents must have their work cut out for them in providing for them all."

"Oh, it's not too hard. Their combined salaries make ends meet without too much trouble."

"Forgive me if I sound nosy, but what do they do?"

"My dad makes documentaries for Redefining Pictures, and my mom owns a photography studio. How about your parents? What do they do?"

"I…" Mr. Parson suddenly looked awkward. "Actually, Sammy and I don't live with our parents. It's just us."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Are they dead?"

"It's, um … it's complicated."

"I understand. So it's just you and Sammy, then?"

"Yeah. Sure is."

"Now you're the one who'll have to forgive _me _for being nosy. What do you do for a living? I mean, it's probably hard for one person to take care of one kid alone. I can appreciate that."

"I… I'm a… I drive cabs," Mr. Parson blushed. "I know it's not the most glamorous job, and it sounds pretty pathetic, compared to a nurse…"

"I don't think it's pathetic at all," Penny insisted. "I mean, there are probably thousands of New Yorkers who don't know how to drive. Auntie Maureen, for instance, never bothered to learn. If it wasn't for cab drivers, they'd never get anywhere." Mr. Parson gaped at Penny.

"You know, you're the first person I've met who actually hasn't looked down on me for being a cab driver."

"Yeah, it's kind of a family policy. There was a time when my parents were classified as starving artists, so quite a few people looked down on them, too."

"Your family sounds like a very colorful one," Mr. Parson grinned. "And I mean that in a good way." For a brief moment, Mr. Parson and Penny stood in silence, just smiling at each other.

_Hmm._ Penny thought, studying the young man. _He's got a nice smile_.

The moment was broken when Sammy started tugging on his brother's sleeve.

"I want ice cream now!" Sammy stated.

"Sure thing, little buddy." Mr. Parson agreed. "Well. It was nice meeting you, Nurse Cohen."

"It's Penny. And it was nice meeting you, too, Mr. Parson."

"James. I'm James." After sharing another brief smile, James left with Sammy.


	3. Class Project

**AN: **I can't quite remember when people have to take sex ed in school, as it's been so long for me. For the sake of this story, however, let's say it's the sixth grade level, since that's usually the age people start hitting puberty.

* * *

"Okay, everyone. That's it for today," Mr. Crabgrass, the school's appointed Health and Sex Ed teacher, announced at the end of the period. "And please, no one forget their syllabuses. It has everything we're covering this year, and I don't accept any excuses abut how you didn't know what we will be doing each day. I'll expect you all to be prepared every time we meet." Rodolfo and Zack gathered their things and left the classroom with the other kids. Out in the hall, they met up with their friend, Alvin Coffin.

"Hey, Alvin," Zack greeted.

"How's it going, Zack, Dolf?" Alvin replied. "First health class?"

"Yep," Rodolfo confirmed. "Have you been there yet?"

"Not for another two periods. What's your next class?"

"History," Zack checked their schedules. "How about you, Alvin?"

"The same."

"Oh, Alvin!" Rodolfo changed the subject. "You want to come over for a sleepover tonight? Aunt Emily rented Pee Wee's Big Adventure and Spaceballs."

"I'll have to ask my folks," Alvin explained. "But Dad's usually okay with me coming over, so I probably can make it." The three boys filed in to the History classroom, taking three desks against the wall. Shortly after they were seated, their teacher, Mr. Grober, entered the room.

"Good morning, class," Mr. Grober greeted the students, removing some papers from his briefcase. "Now I know what you're all thinking. History; the most boring subject around. Absolutely irrelevant. Am I right?" Rodolfo, Alvin, and Zack all found themselves grinning, instantly taking a liking to Mr. Grober. "Well, how about we make things interesting, then. Before we go over _general _history, we'll go into our _personal _histories." With that, Mr. Grober wrote out an assignment on the blackboard. "Family Trees. I want you all to take the next week working on your personal family trees, and to be ready to present them next Friday, along with a brief narrative about your family in general. It can be as simple as how your parents met, or any other story you want to include."

"Yeah, Mr. Grober," the voice of Charles Miller, the class bully, drawled from behind Rodolfo. "You'll have to come up with an alternative assignment for _some_ of us. There are people here who don't have _any_ stories of their family, 'cause _their_ parents went and keeled over when they were still in Pampers. Isn't that right, Dolfy-boy?" Charles' jab effectively made Rodolfo snap. In a flash, he'd grabbed his textbook and spun around, using the textbook to hit the offender over the head.

"SHUT UP!" Rodolfo shouted in anger. Rodolfo was about to take another swing, but Zack and Alvin had leapt to their feet to restrain the enraged boy.

"That's enough!" Mr. Grober scolded sternly, frowning at the boys before checking the student roster. "You're Mr. Davis, am I right?"

"Yes," Rodolfo growled, continuing to glare at Charles.

"Well, then, Mr. Davis. Please see me after class." Rodolfo plopped down into his seat with a scowl.

"Fine. Whatever."

* * *

Once class was over, Rodolfo stood by Mr. Grober's desk, casting an eye out into the hall where Zack and Alvin were waiting. After Mr. Grober finished writing some notes in his book, he finally looked up at the thirteen-year-old boy.

"So, then," the teacher began. "Would you like to tell me what made you blow up that way in class, Mr. Davis? Not a good way to make a good first impression, was it?"

"Sorry, Mr. Grober," Rodolfo replied. "Charles just pushed my buttons." When Mr. Grober continued frowning at him, Rodolfo lowered his eyes to the floor, feeling self-conscious. "People say I inherited my dad's temper."

"Ah, I see. So your father has a short fuse, too?"

"I guess."

"Guess? You mean, you don't know?"

"No, sir. My mom and dad both died when I was two and a half. I don't remember them. I was raised by Uncle Mark and Aunt Emily, Zack's parents."

"Oh dear. I'm sorry to hear that. But your aunt and uncle do tell you about them, don't they?"

"Yeah, bits and pieces. They keep pictures of them all over, and Uncle Mark brings out some of his old movies that feature them. They're not so clear on how they died, though. They just say they got very sick, and that they'll explain when I'm 'old enough.' I've been hearing that all my life though, so I don't know when they'll consider me to be 'old enough.'" Mr. Grober continued to study Rodolfo for a moment longer.

"Very well, Mr. Davis," he finally spoke. "You may go. And as for the project, I assigned, you won't be except. Just make sure you get your aunt and uncle to help you with it. Somehow, I have the feeling that you'll be getting more then just a chance to finish this project. You'll get to hear more about your parents. I can tell you want to know more about them. And, if you make a good presentation, I will forget about punishing you for your outburst."

"Thanks, Mr. Grober," Rodolfo grinned, and walked out to join Zack and Alvin, so they could head down to lunch together.

* * *

Mark pedaled his bike down the streets on his way back home from work. It had been a rather productive morning. The latest documentary on local child care was almost ready, and only needed one final review before it made its public debut.

As he made his way through the city, Mark turned the bike down a particular street. He'd long ago made a habit of taking this short detour on the way back home from work. Finally, he stopped at the familiar street sign, and looked at the spot where it had once stood. Like always, he imagined that the old building was still there, and thought back to the old days. The days when he had lived here, on the corner of 11th Street and Avenue B. The days when he'd lived in the Loft.

It was long gone, now, torn down for being unsafe to live in about twelve years ago. He and the other Bohemians had come to the site after the job had been done. None of them had the strength to actually watch the place they had once called home be destroyed. On that day, Maureen had shared an aside chat with one of the workmen, and had come back with a small souvenir in tow. It was the old door handle that had came from the Loft's sliding metal door. That door handle still resided in the Condo, as a memorial to their past, and something of a good luck charm that he and Emily always made a note of touching in fond memory every day before heading out for work.

Smiling to himself, Mark continued to stare at the place where the Loft once stood, visualizing himself standing out on the balcony with his friends, all of them laughing and enjoying each other's company. Before he continued on his way back home, Mark wiped away an emotional tear from his blue eyes, brought about by old memories. He chuckled as he patted the street sign.

"I'll be back tomorrow," he promised as he rode the bike down the street.


	4. Memories Resurfacing

**AN: **Hmm... I'm not sure if this chapter counts as containing character death, since it happens in a flashback, meaning it already happened. But in any event, it might make some people cry. I had to watch a certain RENT music video on YouTube to prepare myself to write it. Anyway, you've been warned. Read on, and I hope you all enjoy.

* * *

Rodolfo, Zack and Alvin lounged inside the boys' bedroom inside the Condo, laughing in amusement at the movie they were watching.

"What's happenin'?" A small intrusion arrived in the form of a nine-year-old girl with strawberry-blonde hair and violet eyes.

"Aw, come on, Lucia," Zack rolled his eyes at his sister. "Go away. You wouldn't understand this anyway."

"I would so," Lucia complained.

"Lucia, you couldn't even sit through Star Wars," Rodolfo pointed out. "You cried every time Darth Vader appeared."

"I was five!" Lucia stamped her foot in emphasis.

"All right then, you three." Mark appeared with a couple of pizza boxes in tow. "Zack, you and Rodolfo should try to be more patient with your sister. She is getting older, after all. And Lucia, I'm sorry to say that you probably should leave your brother and cousin alone with their friend. Take your daddy's word for it, every now and again, all boys need time to be alone with other boys. Besides, it's almost bedtime for you."

"Okay," Lucia reluctantly obeyed and left to head upstairs to the room she shared with Penny.

"Thanks, Dad," Zack grinned as Mark placed the pizza boxes on the floor and the three sixth grade boys helped themselves.

"Yeah, thanks, Mr. Cohen," Alvin echoed.

"Ditto," Rodolfo mumbled though a mouthful of pizza.

"Swallow your food before talking," Mark scolded. "So, how was the first day of school then, boys?"

"Okay, I guess," Rodolfo replied after washing down the pizza with some soda. "We got an assignment on the first day, though."

"We gotta make a family tree for social studies," Alvin explained.

"And the health teacher went over everything we're supposed to learn about this year," Zack added. "Things like anatomy and reproduction."

"Yeah," Rodolfo agreed. "And...what was it again? XCPs?"

"STDs, Dolf," Alvin corrected. "Sometimes, I think you need your hearing checked." Rodolfo responded by chucking a pillow at his friend. In doing so, he failed to notice the sudden stunned look that had appeared on Mark's face.

"So," Mark forced himself to speak. "You're going to learn about the diseases you can get?"

"I guess," Zack shrugged.

"The other stuff I get," Rodolfo stated, going back to the pizza. "But I don't get that stuff about the diseases. I mean, unless you're gonna be a nurse like Cousin Penny or something, it's not _that_ big of a deal, is it?" Mark frowned in discomfort before turning to leave the room.

"You three should never underestimate anything the school thinks is worth teaching," Mark lectured. "Now, enjoy your pizza. And don't stay up too late."

"We won't!" the boys chorused. Mark closed the door to the boys' room and paused for a moment, looking downcast. From the kitchenette, Emily was just finishing the dishes when she noticed the expression on the filmmaker's face.

"Mark, sweetie?" Emily abandoned her task in concern. "What's wrong?" Mark held off on his explanation until they were both seated at the metal table.

"I was just talking to the boys. It seems they're covering STDs in health class this year." Instantly, Emily understood what was troubling him. She reached out to place a gentle hand over his.

"You and I both knew we couldn't put it off forever, Mark. Rodolfo's growing up fast. Pretty soon, we'll have to tell him the truth. Perhaps this is the sign that it's time to tell him everything."

"Yeah, I know. I just didn't think it would come so soon."

After a momentary silence, they both glanced up at a framed photograph that hung on the wall. In the photograph, two hands, one large, masculine, and pale and the other small and feminine with a caramel complexion, were intertwined with each other. Both hands sported identical hospital bracelets. Memories from the darkest regions of their minds rose up as the two thought back to the night that picture had been taken.

**Flashback**

Mark and Emily sat between parallel hospital beds, which both contained a sleeping person. One of the nurses entered the room with a cupful of ice chips.

"Here you go," the nurse handed the cup to the visiting pair. "I have to say I'm impressed. We've had a lot of people with this condition before, but Mr. and Mrs. Davis here seem to be fighting to the very end."

"That sounds just like them," Emily smiled briefly before fishing out an ice chip to try and get some moisture back into Mimi's dry, cracked lips.

"Have you reached anyone yet?" Mark asked.

"I've finally managed to contact your friend, Joanne Jefferson," the nurse replied. "She said to tell you that she and Maureen will be down after picking up Penny at Nana's." A brief moment after the nurse had left, Roger opened his eyes weakly with a soft groan. Mark felt a sick blow to his gut, taking in how gaunt and pale his best friend had become. Only the green eyes retained a hint of the person he once was. At the moment, those eyes were scanning the room, as if he was trying to remember where he was. The moment their whereabouts registered, a visible flinch passed over his bony face, making him look even more tired.

"I'm sorry, Roger," Mark apologized, remembering the musician's dislike of hospitals. "It was the only way to make sure you two were as comfortable as possible." Roger turned his gaze up at Mark's face.

"Mimi?" Roger asked feebly.

"Over here, Roger," Emily spoke gently. Roger turned his head slowly to the hospital bed next to him where Mimi was still sleeping, with Emily trying to keep the sweat off her forehead. Both Mark and Emily noticed the pain in Roger's face, and realized that he wanted to be the one to care for Mimi when she was in this state. "Do you want me to wake her?" Emily asked. Hesitating for only a moment, Roger nodded once. When she had been awoken, Mimi seemed disoriented at first, until she noticed Roger watching her. At that moment, her face lit up, and she almost looked completely healthy.

"Roger," she whispered.

"I'm here, baby." The lovers took a moment to smile at each other, then Mimi looked questionably up at Mark and Emily.

"Where's Rodolfo? I want… our son."

"Hang on." Mark got up from his chair and moved over to a twin stroller that was sitting on the other side of the room, where Rodolfo and Zack were sleeping. With great care, Mark lifted Rodolfo up from the stroller and carried him over to his parents, who both reached out to gently stroke the little boy's hair. Rodolfo moaned and opened his chocolate brown eyes a crack.

"I'm tired, Daddy," Rodolfo mumbled, his eyelids drooping.

"It's okay, Son," Roger assured the toddler. "You go back to sleep." As Rodolfo fell back asleep, Mark and Emily returned him to the stroller.

"Mark? Emily?" Mimi spoke up. "You… take care of him. Promise?"

"Of course," Emily agreed, a lump forming in her throat.

"Hey, Mark," Roger turned to the filmmaker, the person who'd been his best friend all their lives. "Thanks, buddy. For everything. I don't know where I'd be if you hadn't been there for me, through withdrawal, and the whole thing with April, and all the other times I screwed up."

"I'd do it all over again," Mark insisted, the tears starting to form, understanding that his friend's time was almost up.

"You too, Emily," Mimi added. "We're so glad we met you, too."

"No," Emily shook her head. "_I'm_ the one who should be grateful to _you_. I'd have lost Penny if you hadn't entered my life. The Rat Fangs would probably have killed me as well, come to think of it."

"Don't start that again," Roger gave a weak chuckle. "This wasn't a one-sided friendship. For starters, we wouldn't have had Rodolfo if it wasn't for you. And you'll still be here to raise him for us. Him and his cousins. Penny, Zack, even that little one." Roger's eyes dropped to Emily's belly, which gave away the fact that she was six months along with Lucia. "I'm counting on you, Emily. I'm counting on you to take care of Rodolfo _and_ Mark." A cheeky grin stretched across the faded face. "Don't let me down."

"Never," Emily choked back a sob as Mark came up from behind her to give her a comforting hug.

"Thank you both," Mimi concluded. "For everything."

"We'll never forget you," Mark promised, squeezing his eyes shut to hold back the tears.

"Mimi?" Roger's voice was now a scratchy whisper as he held a hand out to her. The fading Latina woman took his hand, holding it as firmly as she could manage, and the lovers held the others gaze for a brief moment.

"What are you staring at?" Mimi quipped, the ghost of her spirited smile appearing on her face.

"Your hair in the moonlight," Roger responded. "I'd forgotten how to smile until your candle burned my skin."

"Clinging a shoulder, a leap begins."

"Stinging and older, asleep on pins."

"I should tell you."

"I should tell you I have always loved you."

"I can see it in your eyes." For a moment longer, they continued to gaze at one another with faces full of love. Then, their eyes closed at the same time. An instant sob escaped from Emily's throat as she and Mark clung to each other in their sorrow. Even before the deafening beeping of the heart monitors flat-lining, they both knew it was all over.

**End Flashback**

Mark and Emily continued to look at the picture of Roger and Mimi's intertwined hands. Almost fifteen minutes after their deaths, Emily had managed to compose herself long enough to take that picture, in an attempt to immortalize the love they had shared right up to the end. Mark let out a weary sigh.

"I knew that we'd have to tell Rodolfo about what took his parents' lives someday" he admitted. "I just thought 'someday' would take longer to get here."

"It's never easy, is it?" Emily smiled softly in understanding. "They're not kidding when they tell you children grow up too fast. They do."

"So… when do you think we should tell him?"

"Whenever we do, it'll have to be soon. I'd rather Rodolfo hear the truth from us, and not someone else."

"Yeah, I know." Mark gave Emily's hand a gentle squeeze. "Come on. Let's go to bed. We'll worry about when we'll tell him everything in the morning."


	5. Accidental Discovery

Penny and Lucia were having a stroll through Thomson Square Park on a Saturday afternoon, with Lucia talking about her first week back at school.

"…and then Julie traded half of my peanut butter sandwich for half of her baloney sandwich."

"Well, that was certainly nice of Julie," Penny noted. "So, would you like to feed the ducks now?"

"Yeah!" Lucia grinned widely as Penny offered her some breadcrumbs. As Lucia went about feeding the ducks, Penny's eye was caught by a three-year-old boy splashing and playing at the water's edge. A boy who looked very familiar. As she was trying to get a better look at the boy, a young man joined the toddler.

"Be careful, Sammy," the young man instructed. "I don't want you to fall in." The moment Penny heard this man's voice, she recognized the pair.

"James?" The brothers both turned when they heard Penny

"Penny!" James smiled as he walked over to talk. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Yeah, I always stop by. I've been coming to this park all my life. There's a lot of memories for me here, and It's the best place I know of to spend time with my sister, Lucia."

"So, _this_ is your sister," James glanced down at the seven-year-old, who had finished feeding the ducks and had come up to join them. "Looks like we've both met the other's younger sibling now."

"Looks like," Penny chuckled. "So… how's cab driving going?"

"You know, loud-mouthed bosses, rude passengers, scraping gum off the seats, the usual. How about nursing?"

"Prepping people for surgery, inserting IV tubes, cleaning bed pans, the usual." The two laughed in unison. "But apart from that, how's my favorite patient doing after the shot he was so brave for?" Penny crouched down to talk to Sammy. "Did your brother get you that ice cream?"

"Yeah!" Sammy confirmed happily. Penny grinned and ruffled the boy's hair before going back to talking with James.

"So, would you two like to join us? Lucia and I were about to get some hot dogs from one of the vendors."

"Actually, I'll have to rain check," James explained, looking rather reluctant to pass on the offer. "I need to drop Sammy off at the babysitter's before my shift starts. Thanks anyway."

"It's okay," Penny nodded as James and Sammy began to leave. "Oh, James! Actually, I was wondering. Next Saturday, my family's having a dinner over at the Life Café. It's sort of a monthly tradition. It's me, my parents, brother and sister, our cousin, Rodolfo, and Auntie Maureen and Aunt Joanne. Would you and Sammy like to come, as my guests?"

"Well… sure. Yeah, that sounds good," James accepted the invite. "Where do you want to meet?"

"Here," Penny took a pad of paper from her bag and scribbled down her address. "Just come over at a quarter to six, all right?"

"Count on it," James flashed one more grin before leaving with Sammy.

"Is he your _boyfriend_?" Lucia asked with a cheeky smirk.

"Lucia, I think you've been spending too much time with Auntie Maureen," Penny playfully scolded. "You're getting as forward as she is.

* * *

Back at the Condo, Zack and Rodolfo were rooting through the closets, trying to get some information for their family tree projects.

"I wonder if Mom will let us cut up some pictures of Uncle Zachary." Zack wondered. "She's always been very sentimental about them."

"You try asking her," Rodolfo pointed. "I mean, _you're _the one who was named after him."

"Yeah, I know. Anyway, how are you doing, Dolf?"

"Considering how many pictures we have of my mom and dad," Rodolfo mused, "it's really hard to find some of just Dad, or just Mom. They're always together in all the pictures. The only pictures of Dad when he's by himself are when he had that whole rocker look, with the spiked, bleached hair and eyeliner."

As the boys talked about their projects, Rodolfo, with the help of a chair, started rummaging through the top shelf of a closet, locating an old shoebox coated in a thin layer of dust. Curiosity getting the better of him, the brown eyed boy took the shoebox and opened it. Inside, it was almost empty, apart from a few scarce contents. The hypodermic needle that had the tip snapped off didn't really make Rodolfo curious. He knew that his Aunt Emily had a habit of breaking the tips off her insulin needles after using them. Why she'd bothered to keep this one probably wasn't his business. However, the shoebox also contained two sheets of paper that had been folded three-way. With a shrug, Rodolfo took one of the papers and unfolded it.

A few moments later, Zack, who noticed that Rodolfo had suddenly gotten very quiet, looked up from the pictures that were scattered over the floor. Rodolfo was currently staring at two sheets of paper, his face almost completely blank.

"Hey, Dolf? You all right?" Zack's voice seemed to snap Rodolfo out of his trance, for he gave a small jump and hastily stuffed the papers back into the old shoebox before pushing it back into the closet.

"Yeah, fine!" Rodolfo replied a little too quickly. "Just fine. Why wouldn't everything be fine?"

"Well, you're talking like someone who knows they did something wrong, and doesn't want to be…"

"Hey, _I_ didn't do anything wrong, okay?" Rodolfo snapped. "So quit accusing me of doing something wrong."

"Whoa, Dolf! I wasn't accusing you!" Zack insisted, visibly stunned by Rodolfo's outburst. "I just thought you looked upset, and was wondering why." Rodolfo's face deflated, and looked sorry for blowing up.

"Listen, Zack. Maybe… we should stop working for today, all right? I'm… just not in the mood anymore."

"Oh. Okay. Let's just clean up the pictures. You know Mom. She puts a lot of pride in her shots, and gets a little miffed if they're just left scattered around." Without a word, Rodolfo went to work in helping Zack clean up. But his mind was back in that shoebox, and the papers that had sat for who knew how long inside it. It had to have been a mistake. He must have read those papers wrong. There was just no way his Uncle Mark and Aunt Emily would keep something this big from him for thirteen years. There was just no way.

* * *

**AN:** Some people have already pointed out how Rodolfo is like a Mini-Roger. He's going to show that a lot more from here on in, so I'm hoping people are okay with him inheriting some of his father's choice traits. I'm not quite sure when the big confrontation will come, since I want at least one chapter between here and that moment.


	6. Working Days

**AN: ** Filler chapter ahead. It's also my first attempt at doing some Maureen/Joanne interaction. I'm always slightly wary of that, since I don't happen to know any homosexual couples personally, so I have no 'model' to act as a foundation. Thus, I hope I did okay with portraying them.

* * *

Joanne was sitting in hers and Maureen's pad, leafing over some legal documents for the law firm she represented. There was a court case coming up to decide the child custody of a recently divorced couple, and it was looking as if she'd have to cover it. As she continued her work, the door opened and Maureen walked in, tossing her purse onto a nearby chair.

"Hello, honey," Joanne greeted, placing her papers aside to give her a 'welcome home' kiss. "How was acting today?"

"So-so," Maureen sighed heavily before plopping down onto the loveseat. "They're trying to talk me into this Wizard of Oz musical, and want me to play the Wicked Witch. I don't know, baby. Can you really picture _me_ in green face paint?" Joanne chuckled at the image and started to gently rub her partner's shoulders. "Mmm. That feels nice."

"You know," Joanne started to suggest. "It sounds like we both could use a break. I can't remember the last time you and I went out and did something for ourselves. How'd you like to head down to Café Mozart tonight? Then afterwards, when we get back home, I could prepare a nice warm bubble bath for two. How does that sound?" Maureen's face broke into a smile.

"And what about your all important paperwork?" She teased.

"Oh, I think that can wait until morning," Joanne replied. Grinning wider then before, Maureen kissed Joanne hard.

"That sounds _real_ good."

* * *

At Redefining Pictures, Mark was hard at work at editing some footage for his documentary on child care, taking the occasional sip from his tea. As he worked, someone came up and hugged him from behind, giving his cheek a tender kiss.

"Carla, how many times must I tell you?" Mark groaned without turning around. "I'm a married man."

"_I'll_ tell Carla, and then I'll _kill_ her!" Emily's voice answered. Mark turned in surprise to see Emily was behind him.

"Emily!" Mark laughed, giving her a quick kiss. "What are you doing here?"

"I stepped out of my studio for a lunch break, and thought I'd stop by," Emily explained. "I was coming to tell you that I just spoke with Penny. She's bringing a couple of guests to the dinner next Saturday, so I figured I'd give you a little heads-up."

"Oh, that's nice," Mark replied. "Which of her friends is it? Candice? Sofie?"

"James and his little brother, Sammy."

"Ah, James. Of cou… wait. Who's James?"

"He's a young man Penny met at the hospital when Sammy needed a tetanus shot."

"She just met him, and she's already asking him to a family dinner?"

"Is that a problem?"

"Well, isn't it a little fast?"

"As opposed to waiting for over a year before making a move?" Emily quipped, giving Mark a sly grin.

"Oh, sure. Bring _that_ up," Mark groaned, picking up the jibe.

"Sorry, Mark, sweetie. But you remember Roger and Mimi only knew each other for three days before they started going out."

"Well, yeah. When you put it that way."

"Oh, Mark. Try to relax. Penny's a smart girl. You and I raised her to make good decisions. If she thinks this boy is okay, we need to trust her judgment." Mark frowned, still slightly reluctant to allow this.

"I suppose, if Penny thinks he's okay, I can give him a chance," Mark finally gave in. Emily kissed him in thanks.

"I thought you would," she smiled. "I'd better get back to the studio, now. My lunch hour's almost up. Good luck with your documentary, sweetie. I love you." Mark smiled after her.

"I love you, too." Once Emily had left, Mark went back to work, trying to get used to how much Penny had grown since that freckled-face kid he first met her as.


	7. Nothing Good to Say About Them

Thursday afternoon had arrived. Zack was at the metal table, putting the final touches on his family tree, when Rodolfo came into the Condo.

"Dolf!" Zack looked up. "Where've you been? Alvin and I waited for you after school, but you never showed up."

"I took the scenic route," Rodolfo replied shortly.

"Okay, then," Zack continued, trying to push his concern for his 'cousin's' strange behavior aside and just change the subject. "Are you ready for tomorrow? We present our family trees tom…"

"I'm not doing it."

"What? You have to!"

"And say what?" Rodolfo challenged, growing increasingly angry. "There's nothing good to say."

"What are you talking about? Think about all those stories Mom and Dad told us about Uncle Roger and Aunt Mimi."

"Yeah, well what if that's all they are? Stories?" Rodolfo snapped before storming into his and Zack's bedroom and slamming the door.

"Dolf!" Zack got up to go in after him, but the bedroom door had been locked from the inside. "Dolf, come on! Stop being so crazy, and tell me what's up!" Zack groaned when Rodolfo didn't reply and went back to his project defeated. However, he could no longer concentrate on it, and just sat there until Mark and Emily had returned home from work.

* * *

At dinner time, Rodolfo still hadn't come out of his room. When Mark tried to open the door, he found it was still locked.

"Rodolfo, enough. This is ridiculous," Mark called through the door. "You can't stay in there forever, and Aunt Emily and I can't help with whatever's bothering you if you won't come out and talk with us."

"There's nothing to say!" Rodolfo shouted back. "Now leave me alone." Mark groaned at the boy's stubbornness.

"Mark, let me," Emily came over, a leather case in her hand. Mark recognized it as her lock-pick set, which had been a gift from Sergeant Kurtz a long time ago. Mark stepped aside and allowed Emily to do her thing, contemplating how her ability to pick locks had sprung from her brother's wish that she'd be able to get out of any bad situation, back when her life had been in danger from the Rat Fangs, a street gang that had been finally arrested years ago, long before the boys and Lucia had been born.

Finally, Emily had managed to unlock the door, enabling her and Mark to enter the bedroom, where Rodolfo was sprawled out on his bed, his back facing them.

"Rodolfo, your dinner's on the table," Mark invited. "It's meatloaf. You like meatloaf, don't you?"

"I'm not hungry," Rodolfo spoke bluntly. Emily decided to try another tactic.

"Zack said you seemed upset about your family tree project for tomorrow," she reminded. "If you need help with it, we're right here to help. Believe me, I know how you must feel. I lost my parents when I was a little girl, myself. Whatever you want to know about yours, you can ask us." Finally, Rodolfo turned over to face them, looking very upset and angry.

"And how do I know you won't just feed me another lie?" he snapped. "You've already fed me enough lies about them."

"What are you talking about?" Mark's brow furrowed in genuine confusion. "We've never lied about them to you."

"You said they were both good people! You said they'd have been the best parents I could have had."

"And they were!" Emily insisted. "Rodolfo, what has gotten into…?"

"I'm tired of lies! If my mom and dad were such great people, then tell me this. How'd they go about getting AIDS?" That was definitely not a response Mark and Emily were expecting. They both stood frozen, looking shocked.

"How… how'd you…" Mark stammered.

"I saw the shoebox, Uncle Mark!" Rodolfo shouted. "I saw that shoebox when Zack and I were looking around for pictures. I saw what was inside it. Two HIV tests, one with Dad's name on it, the other with Mom's. And I saw that broken needle. I thought it was one of Aunt Emily's insulin needles, but it wasn't, was it?"

"Rodolfo," Emily spoke softly. "I know how shocking this must be, but you haven't heard the whole story."

"Oh, yeah. Sure," Rodolfo scoffed. "What are you gonna tell me, Aunt Emily? That some guy ran up to them on the street and forced them on drugs? That they were held down while someone stuck them with a needle? Is _that _what you're going to tell me?"

"No. It's not," Mark replied.

"So my parents _were _drug addicts, weren't they? And that's how they got AIDS, and how they died. Isn't that right?"

"It's true," Emily admitted sorrowfully.

"And how long did you two intend to keep this from me?!"

"We were going to tell you when you were old enough."

"So you decided to lie to me about them until then?" Rodolfo glared. "What else have you told me that's a lie? You lied about what sort of people they were…."

"We never lied about that," Mark insisted.

"Yeah, right. How am I supposed to trust people who lied to me for thirteen years?" With that, Rodolfo pushed past Mark and Emily and dashed into the bathroom.

"Rodolfo!" Mark scolded trying the door handle to find that had been locked too. "Emily, get your lock picks."

"Mark, leave him be," Emily instructed. "It'll only get worse if we try to force him to talk with us."

"Well, we can't let him go through life with such a negative opinion about his parents."

"I know. But we have to let him calm down first. Rodolfo inherited Roger's temper. You know as well as I do that Davis men need stewing time. So, let him stew. He'll talk when he's ready." Emily gently took Mark's hand. "Come on. Dinner's getting cold." Reluctantly, Mark allowed Emily to lead him back to the kitchenette.

* * *

Hours later, Emily was washing up the dinner dishes while Mark was up putting Lucia to bed and Penny was going over one of her medical textbooks. During her task, Emily let out a heavy sigh. Penny looked up from her textbook in sympathetic concern.

"Mom, you and Dad did the right thing," she assured. "Rodolfo will figure out that you only kept this from him out of love. Remember, you kept the circumstances of _my _birth from me for a long time, but you had good reason for that. I mean, I get how hard it is to tell someone about that sort of thing. I still get angry sometimes when I think about who my biological father is, and what he did to you, Uncle Zachary, Grandma Natalie, Grandpa Zeke, and my biological mother. But the difference is that my biological father never regretted what he did, and never tried to turn his life around. Believe me, Rodolfo will understand that eventually."

"Thanks, Penny," Emily smiled softly. "We really do have messed up families, don't we?"

"That's probably why I took such a liking to you when I was a baby," Penny smiled. "We were just meant to be mother and daughter."

At that moment, Zack hurried into the room, looking very worried.

"Mom, it's Rodolfo!" Zack cried.

"Is he still in the bathroom?"

"No, that's just it! He's gone!"

"What do you mean?" Emily's tone quickly shifted to a troubled one.

"I took one of your lock picks because I _really _had to go," Zack explained. "But when I opened the door, Rodolfo wasn't in there. And the bathroom window is wide open." In an instant, Emily was in the bathroom, looking down to the street below. How long ago had Rodolfo ran off?

"Penny, Zack! Get your father!" Emily ordered franticly. As the siblings hurried upstairs, Emily continued to grip the windowsill as the cars rushed by below, completely unaware that there was an angry and confused thirteen year-old boy alone somewhere in the city. "Rodolfo, what have you done?"


	8. Tu Angel De La Guarda

**AN: **This chapter might be slightly wierd with Rodolfo's encounter with the 'stranger', but it came to me when I was mowing the lawn today, and the more I thought about it, the better it sounded. The song that is mentioned is called 'Tu Angel De La Guarda'. The translation might not be perfect, but I couldn't find a better one, so forgive me if it's off a bit. On that note, enjoy.

* * *

Within the hour, multiple phone calls had been made. Emily had called Sergeant Kurtz, who had been promoted from officer a few years ago, followed by Maureen and Joanne. None of them had declined to try and help find Rodolfo. Maureen and Joanne had came over straight away, while Sergeant Kurtz was currently searching the streets for the boy. At the present time, everyone was assembled at the Condo, waiting for Mark to get off the phone with Benny, who he had called in case Alvin had any idea where Rodolfo might have gone.

"All right," Mark sighed. "Thanks for that, Benny. Call back if you find anything." Once he had hung up, Mark turned to the others. "Well, Alvin hasn't heard from Rodolfo since school let out, so he doesn't know where he went. Benny said he's going down to city's transit authority station to get them to send out word to all the bus and subway personal to watch for any thirteen-year-old boys who are alone."

"Joanne and I can head over to Grimaldi's and the old movie theater," Maureen offered. "You know, anywhere he likes to hang out at."

"He might be at the arcade, too," Mark added, throwing on his scarf and beret. "I'm heading down there."

"I'm going with you, Emily agreed.

"No, Emily," Mark shook his head. "Someone's gotta stay here with Zack and Lucia. Besides, Benny or Sergeant Kurtz might call with news, or he might come back. Either way, you need to stay here."

"But I can't just sit around when Rodolfo's out there somewhere."

"I know, Cricket," Mark sighed, kissing her forehead. "But we're all out looking. We'll find him. Trust me."

At that moment, there was a knock at the door. Maureen opened it to find a young man carrying a sleepy three-year-old boy.

"Hi," the young man greeted. "Is Penny in?"

"James!" Penny led him in. "Everyone, this is James and his brother Sammy. James, this is my mom and dad, Auntie Maureen, and Aunt Joanne." The strawberry-blonde haired girl glanced over at Mark and Emily, who both looked somewhat confused. "I called James up and asked for his help in finding Rodolfo," she explained. "He and I are going to search the park for him."

"The problem is my brother," James nodded at the half-asleep toddler. "I can't call up the babysitter on such short notice."

"I'll watch him," Emily volunteered. "Since I'm stuck here while the rest of you are out looking, I might as well do _something _to help out."

"Oh, thank you, Mrs. Cohen," James smiled in gratitude as he passed Sammy over to her.

"Just find Rodolfo," Emily instructed as the search party began to file out of the Condo. Trying to push aside her worry, she took a seat on the couch, allowing Sammy to fall asleep on her lap.

* * *

As the group began their search, Rodolfo was crouched by Bethesda Fountain in Central Park, eating the hot dog he'd bought with the money he managed to scrape up before leaving home. He might have to stop at the family's special ATM over at the Food Emporium sometime soon, since he no longer had enough to get a bus ticket. He had no idea what he'd do now, or where he'd go. Briefly, he considered trying to find his grandparents, but then concluded that they might contact Uncle Mark and Aunt Emily who'd come take him back. And why would he want to go back to live with people who lied, who never told him about the truth of his parents?

As Rodolfo continued to try and figure out what he'd do now, it slowly started to register that there was someone else there as a steady drumbeat reached his ears. Over by the set of stairs, there was a lone man with close cropped hair, drumming away a distinctly familiar tune on an empty pickle tub. It wasn't long before Rodolfo found himself tapping his foot in time to the tune. After a moment, he fished the last remaining quarter out of his pocket and walked over to offer it to the street drummer. After the quarter had been given, the lyrics to the tune the drummer was playing began to come back to him, almost like remembering a dream from long ago. Carried away by the beat, Rodolfo started to sing along.

"Ahora soy tu angel de la guarda, la que fue tu fiel enamorada. Ahora soy quien siempre te acompaña, te cuida, te baña, te ama." (_Now I am your guardian angel, the one that was your faithful enamored. Now I am the one who always accompanies you, takes care of you, bathes you, loves you_.)

Once the song was over, Rodolfo sat down next to the drummer.

"You're really good," the teenage boy complemented.

"You've got a pretty decent vocal talent yourself," the drummer replied, giving him a caring smile. "A voice like that has to be inherited."

"Yeah. Uncle Mark and Aunt Emily said my dad used to sing in a band before he died."

"I see. Judging from the fact that you're out here all alone, I suppose your aunt and uncle don't know you're here."

"No, I guess they don't," Rodolfo replied with an air of indifference.

"I'll bet they're both very worried about you."

"Yeah. It'll serve them right," The drummer nodded in understanding.

"It sounds as if you had a pretty big fight with them."

"You could say that."

"Do you mind telling me what they did?" Rodolfo was quiet for a moment, but then ended up pouring out all his grievances.

"All my life, they were always telling me how great my parents were, and I was always wishing I could at least remember them. But they never once mentioned that they were into drugs, and wound up with AIDS. How can I still believe the stories I was told about Mom and Dad? If they were such great people, why'd they go and mess up their lives like that? What if… everyone's always telling me that I take after my dad, and I was always so proud when I heard that, because I was always told what a great person he was. But now I'm not so sure I can take that as a complement anymore. Because what if I really am like him, and end up making the same mistake he did?"

"Well, don't you think you'd know how to avoid making them?"

"Yeah, but then again, Mom and Dad probably didn't wake up one morning and decide to send their lives spiraling downward."

"That's very true. I'm sure no one plans on making the mistakes they make throughout life. But you make mistakes all the same. But what about you? What do you intend to do?"

"I'm still trying to figure that out. Can't exactly go home, can I? Uncle Mark and Aunt Emily will kill me for running away."

"You know," the drummer began. "I knew someone who ran away from their home once. He was a lot like you. Angry at people he cared about, thought that he needed to get away from them, and that everything would be better if he did. But instead, he found himself missing the very people he tried running from. He couldn't forget them, or how much he loved and cared about them. He came back home, only to find himself in danger of losing the one person he cared for the most. That person almost learned the hard way that running is the best way to lose the people we care for. When you run, you might not have anyone waiting for you if you ever decide to come home." Rodolfo was silent, allowing the wisdom behind the drummer's words to digest in his mind.

"You're saying I should go back home, aren't you?"

"I'm saying you obviously have a quick temper, like my friend did. I don't want to see you learn things the hard way like he did. Anger is short lived, but the love you have for your family isn't. Do you really think you're willing to risk your family for a moment of anger? Remember, you can't run from your problems. That's what makes them worse."

"Well…" Rodolfo knew this person was making sense, but he wasn't ready to give in just yet. "That still doesn't change the fact that they both lied to me."

"That is true. But you know, sometimes lying is done out of love. When children are young, would you think it's right to tell them about all the darker and more mature aspects of life, or do you wait until they are old enough to understand?"

"You're… you mean like the whole 'sex talk', don't you? You don't go into specifics until the kid you're talking to is at a certain age."

"Something like that. The point is, I'm sure your family had a good reason to keep the full story from you. Maybe you should give them a chance and see for yourself." Rodolfo sighed heavily.

"They'll kill me for running away. I know they will."

"Or maybe," the drummer smiled, "they'll just be happy and relieved that you came home safe. Only one way to find out."

"Maybe. I guess." The drummer beamed as he gave Rodolfo's shoulder a caring squeeze.

"Come on. I'll walk you home." Rodolfo began to follow the drummer back to the Condo, feeling slightly better with each step. At the same time, he couldn't help slightly wondering why he trusted this stranger so much. It almost seemed as if he knew this man somehow. However, he refrained from asking, even when they had reached the apartment building where he lived.

"Here you are, Rodolfo," the drummer gently nudged him forward. "You're safe at home, now." Rodolfo froze at those words, his hand inches from the door handle

"You know my name? But that means…."

"Yes, Rodolfo. You and I have met before, but I'm not surprised you don't remember. You were just a newborn at the time. You've grown a lot since then, and you are, without doubt, Roger and Mimi's son. You resemble them both, inside and out. It's safe to say they would have been proud of the young man you're growing up to be." At this confession Rodolfo spun back around. But the mysterious drummer was nowhere in sight.

"Hello?" Rodolfo called out to the deserted sidewalk. In the silence that followed, a faint, haunting melody flowed through the air.

_Ahora soy tu angel de la guarda, la que fue tu fiel enamorada. Ahora soy quien siempre te acompaña, te cuida, te baña, te ama._

Rodolfo swallowed once before walking into the building, to return home to the Condo.


	9. The Footage

**AN:** I'm glad everyone enjoyed the last chapter. Like a said, it was something that came to me when I was mowing the lawn, and it seemed too good to forget about. So anyway, sorry if this chapter ends a little strange or abruptly. Blame it on slight writer's block.

* * *

Rodolfo slowly slipped out of sleep when the sounds of someone moving around reached his ears. Blinking his eyes as he sat up, he saw Zack was awake and fully dressed, rolling up a poster board and pulling a rubber band around it. When he was done, Zack looked up and saw Rodolfo was up.

"Hey," Zack greeted. "That was a really long sleep, Dolf." At that moment, Rodolfo noticed the time on his watch.

"Zack, what's wrong with you!?" He hissed, scrambling out of bed. "Why didn't you wake me up? I'm going to be so late for school, and Aunt Emily and Uncle Mark are going to kill me even more…"

"It's okay," Zack stopped Rodolfo as he started to dash over to the bathroom to get washed up. "Mom and Dad made a call to the school principal. You're staying home today." Rodolfo winced in displeasure.

"Probably want to spend the day talking about how grounded I am," he muttered.

"Don't worry about it too much. Alvin and I will get an extra cookie at lunch for you," Zack offered as he left to catch the ride to school. "I'll see you later, Dolf. And… welcome home."

"Yeah. Thanks," Rodolfo barely looked up as Zack left, then crouched down next to his bed to await the punishment he was sure to get. Emily had instantly hugged him the moment he walked in last night, looking more relieved then he'd ever seen her, and then told him to go to bed to get some sleep while she called up everyone to say he was home. Rodolfo had been too tired not to obey, and had fallen asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. But now he was up, so punishment time was here.

Almost an eternity later, there was a knock at the door.

"Rodolfo?" Emily's voice called. "Could you come out here?" Bracing himself for the blow, Rodolfo trudged out into the living room area, where Mark was in the process of setting up his old projector. A white sheet was draped over the fireplace, and the curtains were drawn to prevent the sunlight from coming in. Mark glanced over as he finished setting up.

"Good morning, Rodolfo," he greeted, motioning toward the couch. "Have a seat."

"What's going on?" Rodolfo eyed the projector in confusion.

"It's time we showed you a bit of footage Mark put together when you were younger," Emily explained. "We planned on giving it to you for your fifteenth birthday, but I suppose now's as good a time as any." After a small hesitation, Rodolfo took a seat on the couch, where he was joined by Emily and, after he started up the projector, Mark as well. Seconds later, images flickered to life on the white sheet. Rodolfo recognized the room the shots were taken in from the pictures he saw throughout the Condo, and realized the footage had been taken inside the Loft. Rodolfo watched as the image of his parents came into view. Mimi was walking through the door, talking to a ten-year-old girl Rodolfo recognized as a much younger Penny, but then Roger pulled her back to scoop her up before carrying her into the room, twirling around as he went. Both of them were laughing and smiling widely, looking very happy and in love.

"That was when they came back from Niagara Falls, after getting married." Emily explained. Rodolfo glanced down at his feet for a moment before looking back up at the footage that was flickering before their eyes. For a short time, he watched as the silent images of his parents transitioned from them hanging out on the fire escape as they shared a pizza slice, to cuddling together on a swing in the park, to one image that confused Rodolfo. Roger and Mimi were resting their hands on Emily's round belly with wide smiles on their faces.

"They both wanted a child like you, Rodolfo," Mark explained. "But because of the virus, it was next to impossible for them to have any child the normal way, and have it born healthy. Your Aunt Emily volunteered to carry you as your surrogate mother, in order to ensure you were born without HIV. They agreed for you. They agreed because they couldn't stand the thought of you dying because of the virus that would one day take their lives."

"You mean," Rodolfo suddenly found himself talking. "They went through all those alternative methods just to have me?"

"Of course they did. They loved you. Just watch and you'll see what we mean."

By now, the footage included a baby boy with chocolate brown eyes and a small patch of dirty blonde hair. Rodolfo instantly realized that the baby was him. The film then proceeded to show random moments from him growing up with his parents, including Roger and Mimi fawning over him within the Condo's living room, with a Christmas tree in the background and the ground covered with discarded wrapping paper. Rodolfo was chewing on a set of plastic toy keys, while Mimi slapped a bow onto Roger's forehead when he wasn't looking, prompting a mock scowl from him. The scene dissolved to Roger playing the old red fender that now hung on the wall next to the fireplace, with Mimi and Rodolfo as his sole audience, to Rodolfo taking a few wobbly steps to Mimi's waiting arms, followed by her and Roger hugging the toddler for his successful first steps. The last image had a two-year-old Rodolfo in a high chair, eating spaghettios and making a bit of a mess of it. Mimi paused from her chicken dinner and started to clean off his face with a napkin, while Roger looked on with a proud smile, taking a quick sip of his beer. At that moment, Mimi was hit by a coughing fit. Instantly, Roger abandoned his meal and moved to hold her from behind, gently rubbing her arms and whispering to her. Once Mimi's coughs had subsided, she leaned back against Roger, who held her tightly, his face filled with torment. After that image, the film ended. Mark turned off the projector, so he could sit in silence for a few moments with Emily and Rodolfo.

"After that day," Mark broke the silence. "Roger, your father, asked me not to put either of them in any more of my footage. He wanted us, and you, to remember them as the people they were. Fighters to the end, loving parents to you, and the closest friends we could have had. Repeatedly watching them die slowly wouldn't have helped that." For a long time, Rodolfo focused on his hands, but then looked up at Mark and Emily.

"Why'd they get into drugs, anyway?"

"For your father," Mark began, "it was long before he met your mother. Roger was a rising rock star. You've seen the pictures of him back then, with the bleached hair, and…"

"And the eyeliner," Rodolfo confirmed with a faint smile.

"Exactly. Anyway, when he was playing at one of his gigs, he met a girl called April. The two of them began dating very soon after that, and were never seen apart for long. But April had a long-time addiction to heroin, and she introduced your father to it. They shared a good portion of their needles, and it wasn't long before they both couldn't do anything without being high. But then, April tested positive for HIV. After that, things got complicated. She knew it was a very good chance your father was infected as well, and couldn't stand the thought that she did that to someone she cared for. To make a long story short, in the end the guilt and grief was too much for her, and she killed herself. We found her in the bathtub in the Loft, with both of her wrists slit. She was pronounced DOA.

"After April's death, your father swore off heroin. I can honestly say his withdrawals were nearly unbearable. I had a front row seat for most of them. There were quite a few times when he almost got out in moments of relapse. He even succeeded more then once. It took him a whole year before he successfully gave it up. But it was even longer before he came to terms with the fact he now had to live with HIV. He even refused to leave the house, until your mother entered his life one Christmas Eve, helped coax him out, and got him to live again."

"Your mother's story on the other hand," Emily continued for Mark, "that is harder to tell with any degree of certainty. She never really liked to talk about her past. But from what we can piece together from the bits she did reveal, she left home at the age of fifteen, hoping to become a dancer. But the only place she could find work was at an S&M club. There were times when she couldn't stand what she had to do to pay for her next meal. For her, heroin offered an easy way to momentarily forget how she had to degrade herself for money. But the more she used it, the more it controlled her. The drugs almost destroyed your parents' relationship. They both loved each other so much, but your father hated the fact your mother couldn't stop using the drugs that gave them both HIV. He even left her for a time because of it. But in the end, his love for her, and hers for him, won out. By the time I met your parents, your mother was almost completely clean.

"It is true that your mother and father were both addicted to heroin, and both wound up getting HIV because of it. But it's also true they gave up the life of a junkie, and lived their lives one day at a time."

"You see Rodolfo," Mark concluded. "We understand you have a right to know the truth, but we also don't want you to go through life with the wrong idea of your parents. Roger and Mimi were the best friends your Aunt Emily and I ever had, and they loved each other, and you, with all their hearts. As for the heroin and HIV, a lot of people make mistakes. Unfortunately their mistakes ultimately cost them their lives. But they learned to live with the mistakes they made, and treasured each day they had with each other, and you. And they made us promise, before they died, that we'd raise you as if you were our own son, and make sure you didn't make the same mistakes they did. They accepted the consequences of their mistakes, but they both couldn't bear the thought of you ending up the same way."

Rodolfo sat quietly, turning the words over in his head. Then he wordlessly stood up and walked across the room, lightly touching the old red fender before heading over to a collection of pictures that featured Roger and Mimi, which were arranged on a shelf next to a partially melted candle. For the longest time, Rodolfo gazed at the photographs of his parents smiling back at him, thinking about everything he'd just been told, how they got AIDS, how they gave up heroin, and how they chose to have him. It took him a moment to become aware of the sudden sting of tears that were forming in his eyes, the same brown eyes he'd inherited from his mother.

"It's not fair," Rodolfo stated, wishing he could keep his voice from cracking. "Why did they have to die when I was too young to remember them? Why couldn't I have had a chance to know them, to have memories with them?"

"Rodolfo," Emily stepped forward, feeling the lump in her throat forming, and pulled the teenage boy into a supportive, consoling hug. "I know how you feel, and how hard it is. I can't remember my parents, either." For a while, Rodolfo allowed Mark and Emily to try and comfort him while he tried to collect himself. Finally, he managed to keep his tears in check and looked back at one of the pictures, which had Roger and Mimi holding him on his first birthday.

"Can…" Rodolfo's voice came out in almost a whisper. "Can we go visit them?"

"Of course," Mark agreed, placing a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. "Today's your day, Rodolfo. We can go anywhere you want."

"I want…. I want to see… everywhere they used to go," Rodolfo announced. "And… could you tell me about all the stuff you and them did together? I… I wanna know everything."

"Of course we can," Emily nodded, giving Rodolfo another small hug, which he returned.


	10. The Story of my Parents

**AN:** Sorry for the choppy chapter and abrupt ending. I just hope it doesn't hurt the overall story too much. Anyway, hope you enjoy the ending to this story.

* * *

At precisely a quarter to six on Saturday night, James returned to the Condo to join the Cohen family for the family dinner at the Life Café. Sammy was standing next to his brother, clutching a coloring book and a small box of crayons, which James had told him to bring to entertain himself while waiting for dinner to come. When the door opened, they were greeted at the sight of Rodolfo.

"Hello, Rodolfo," James smiled at the teenage boy.

"Hey, James," Rodolfo responded with a slightly sheepish grin. "Thanks… for offering to help the others find me the other night."

"It was no trouble at all. Good to see you're back home." James took a moment to glance over Rodolfo's shoulder at Mark and Emily, the later in the process of running a comb through Lucia's hair. "Are you allowed to come to the dinner, or is someone watching you?"

"My 'jailers' have decided to grant me a two-hour probation," Rodolfo smirked. "But once we get back home, my sentence is in full swing again." Mark and Emily had kept their promise to Rodolfo yesterday, and had taken him all over the city, from Thomson Square Park, to the zoo, and even stopped at Grimaldi's for a pizza lunch. But after that day-out, Rodolfo's punishment for sneaking out of the Condo was put into effect. James chuckled and entered the Condo, where he was greeted by Penny, while Sammy had toddled right up to Emily to show her his new coloring book. The three-year-old had taken a liking to her when she had babysat for him the night Rodolfo had ran away.

"Well, I guess we should be going then," Mark decided, leading the way to the door. "If you're late to a family dinner, Maureen's in a snippy mood all night."

* * *

The entire group was assembled at the Life a little over fifteen minutes later. All throughout dinner, the Bohemians laughed, joked, and brought up some of their fondest memories. Even the younger members of the extended family took part in the fun. Sammy had allowed Lucia to color a page in his coloring book while Rodolfo and Zack went between listening to the adults' stories and talking about what they'd do with Alvin when Rodolfo's week-long punishment was over. When the check came, Penny volunteered to take go up to pay it, with everyone chipping in for their portion of the bill.

"Thank you, Miss Cohen," the maitre' d nodded in acknowledgement as he accepted the money. He'd long since grown more pleased to see the Bohemian family at the Life after they'd become able to actually pay for their meals there. When Penny turned to rejoin the others, she saw James standing behind her.

"Hi, James. Is something wrong?"

"No, not at all," James shook his head. "I just remembered I never thanked you for inviting me and Sammy to come along."

"Oh, no problem. I'm glad you could come."

"Yeah. Your family's really great. I wish my family was like that. Mine's all extremely conservative in their views. Hate to think what they'd say if they met your family."

"Mmm. I think I can honestly say that we've all heard everything your family could say," Penny chuckled. "Thankfully, we're too close to each other to let what other people think bother us. As we often say, la vie Boheme. You'd be surprised by some of the stuff this family was tested with."

"Well," James replied slowly as his face broke out into a gentle smile. "I think… I'd like to hear about it sometime."

Over at the table, Mark was laughing with the others as Maureen brought up the prank war she once had with Roger years ago, which had eventually resulted in Roger's hair being dyed neon blue. As he laughed, he chanced to glance over in Penny' direction and his smile disappeared. She and James were standing quite close to one another, smiling and talking about something. As he watched, the two shared a small, shy kiss, followed by another, a little bolder, and another. Moments before Mark fully slipped into his '_keep away from my daughter_' mode, he felt a hand give his arm a gentle squeeze. Turning, he saw Emily give him a soft '_leave them be_' smile. Sighing heavily, Mark sent one more glance at Penny and James, but then gave in, allowing them to have their moment.

* * *

Mr. Grober's History classroom was once again filled with students. By the window, Alvin was talking avidly to Zack and Rodolfo.

"Hey, Dolfy-boy," Charles drawled as he sauntered up. "Noticed you weren't in school on Friday. Was it too hard to listen to the rest of us talk about our families?"

"Shut up, Charles," Zack glared as Alvin placed a restraining hand on Rodolfo's arm, in case he tried to react. Thankfully, Mr. Grober chose that moment to walk in, signaling the class to take their seats.

"Good morning, class," Mr. Grober greeted. "I hope you all enjoyed your weekend. Today, we'll start with the events leading up to the Civil War." After a pause, Rodolfo raised his hand. "Yes, Mr. Davis?"

"Actually, sir," Rodolfo began. "I wasn't in on Friday…."

"Yes, I was notified about your aunt and uncle's call to the principal."

"The thing is, I was wondering if I could present my family tree project now."

"I see," Mr. Grober nodded with a faint smile on his face, taking a moment to think it over. "Well… I suppose I could hold off on my lesson for a few minutes."

"Thanks, Mr. Grober," Rodolfo picked up the rolled up poster board that had been stored under his desk and made his way to the front of the room. Silently, he unrolled the family tree and paused for a moment to glance at the pictures of his parents that had been pasted to the poster board. Smiling at the images, he turned back to the class, taking in Zack and Alvin giving him their undivided attention and Charles looking at him with an unreadable expression.

"This is the story of my parents," Rodolfo began. "It's the story of my dad, Roger, and my mom, Mimi, and all they went through to be together, and have me. They may not have been model citizens or anything like that. But I still believe that I couldn't have had better people as parents. Because not everyone can go through everything they did, and still love as strongly as they did for each other and me."


End file.
